Written by Professor Romain Murenzi, 31st July 2009
 
I have served for the Republic of Rwanda as Minister of Education, Science, Technology, and Research from 2001 to March 2006, and Minister in President’s Office in Charge of Science and Technology from March 2006 to July 2009. I can say that this period of service has truly been a rewarding and exciting time.

In May 2009, I requested to His Excellency a leave of absence for family reason. The reason being that my youngest son has had autism for more than a year and half. He needed special treatment and care. His Excellency the President accepted my request and offered support, in particular gave me time to find a place for relocation and to apply for a new job. After I found a job at University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), His Excellency Paul Kagame released me to relocate.

At the UMIACS I will be working:
• as visiting Professor,
• on next generation computational models of conflict, conflict management, modeling of conflict related phenomena and their relationship to instruments of policy for national and international governments,

• I will also be working on computational methods to track diseases worldwide and strategies to combat their spread worldwide, heralding a mix of science and policy.

University of Maryland Computer Science Professor and UMIACS Director, V. S. Subrahmanian, welcomed my sabbatical at Maryland saying "This is an extraordinary opportunity for the University of Maryland to develop a new generation of technology and policy instruments to serve the interests of peace and development worldwide.

Prof. Murenzi's wide experience and leadership spanning the technology and policy fields and UMIACS experience in cutting edge computer science will pave the way for a new era of contributions to uplift peoples' lives worldwide".

At the AAAS ("Triple A-S"), I will be working in the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy, which works to catalyze relationships between and among countries and societies through science cooperation, specifically:

• I will be working on a project that looks at the role of science cooperation as an element of East African Integration,
• this will involve assembling experts, policy makers and decision leaders to attend a workshop on East African Science Integration later this fall,

• in addition, I will be working with the Center for Science Diplomacy and other AAAS leadership to identify ways to increase the US science community's engagement with the African science community.

AAAS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, spokesperson and professional association:
• AAAS publishes the journal Science

• The mission of AAAS is to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy; international programs; science education; and more;
• AAAS is the largest general scientific society in the world.

Ends